Brushy Report

[SetDaHook]

Anyone have a report on Brushy Creek?  Looking to head that way on Saturday if the ice is good.  I've never even seen the lake but heard good things about it so I thought I'd start the year out there and see what happens.

[Bates]

There are some reports on other sites with OK ice at the north end, with this lake being so deep and current from the new rains might be iffy. If you do go be carefull and life jackets are a good option.

[walleyes4*u]

Would also like to hear some ice reports. Son and I are looking to come over this friday. Never ice fished it before. Any info would be appreciated on where to give it  our best shot for some pannies 8)

[Brushyguy]

The ice is fine on Brushy.  Just stay to the North boat ramp and venture out to the east bay.  Last weekend the Ice was 5-6" and I know of a bunch of guys that have been fishing it all week. 

[Bull_Gill_Mike]

Have they been having any luck?

[walleyes4*u]

Thanx Brushyguy. Deciding  whether to make it over or not. Went out to start the new Strikemaster I purchased a month ago for the 2nd time, has never seen ice yet. The pull rope will not recoil all the way back in.  I still have enough to get it started.  Called strikemaster and they said it jumped a clog. The only autherized service centers is Spirt Lake, LeMars, and Des Moines. I live by Waterloo. I have a fishing buddy who works in the Twin Cities and will be coming home the weekend before X-Mas and then coming back down the weekend after X-Mas. He is going to drop it off at Strikemaster in Big Lake and they said they would fix it right away while he waits. Awesome customer service. They said they could walk me thru taking it apart to fix it over the phone. I didn't feel comfortable doing it and figured they can do it. Does anybody know how to do it?

[toothfish]

If you want to have it repaired  ...and don't mind paying for the repairs ...and probably won't be reimbursed ...
Take it to one of your local outdoor power equipment dealers (lawnmower repair shop) and ask if they can or will repair it . We have customers come in with this exact same scenario. We usually can repair it for under $15.
PS:  It seems to happen more if the grip slips out of your hand and flies back in .  Other factors may be involved as well.

I didn't mean to hijack this thread .

[CrappieBuster]

Recoil kit is 11 dollars.  Good idea to always have a spare one on hand......Quick fix even on a slab of ice!

[walleyes4*u]

Recoil kit is 11 dollars.  Good idea to always have a spare one on hand......Quick fix even on a slab of ice!

Would anybody have the time to show me how to repair it? That way I will know how to do it. Would be willing to meet somewhere to do some ice fishing tomorrow 

[buffettphan606]

Thanks for the report brushyguy, me and a couple other guys are going there saturday, i will have a blue dodge ram and a purple otter lodge, come on over and give us some crap, see you on the ice...............bpha n.

[brittlab]

sounds as if the whole bay will be filled with fisherman on Saturday. get there early if you want a prime spot

[Brushyguy]

At Brushy the bluegill bite has been hot during the day.  We could hardly run 2 poles the last time I was out.  The Crappie start hitting about 4:00 and continue into the night.  It helps if you have a flasher the crappie are suspended off the tree limbs.  I fished in 17-19 feet of water and had a tree limb at about 15 ft.  Most of the Crappie we caught were 6-12" above the tree limb. The problem is you have to fish in the trees to catch them which also results in a lot of snagged lures.   Orange jigs (I used a small northland forage minnow) seem to do the trick for the Crappie and a green Demon and waxy worked good for the gills. I don't know if I will make it up that way on Saturday, but I will be in a Eskimo Quickflip 2 on Sunday. 

[brittlab]

gills were biting good again today, finally got some bigger ones rather than the runts. a few crappies mixed in also thru out the day

[matt_hill_61]

fished for a few hours today and caught a small crappie and many big gills and a ton of dinks

[IOWA BASSER]

anyone been to the south end of Brushy yet - in behind the island, along the old road bed???

I am starting at corneila or morse in the morning and plan on being at brushy by 3 or so and then again sun morning

[ducky]

Hey Basser, Im in Waterloo, you need some company on Sunday?  Where are you going?  Shoot me an email if you want some company.

[brittlab]

it doesn't look like anyone has been out on the south end so far..couldn't see any tracks when I checked down there

[IOWA BASSER]

Thanks Brittlab, guess there has always got to be a ginnepig - slow and easy

Ducky, I am headed out now and will be staying in Fort Dodge tonight, if you make it over, I'll be in a red F150 crew, butler plates and a frabil hideout, I'll be on the north end tonight and the south end sun morning - ice willing!!!

[rpallen]

Does anyone know how much ice is on brushy?  I'm looking for some crappies and bluegills and I never fished that lake in the winter and I have no clue where to fish for them.  I'm thinking about heading up there tomorrow morrning on the north end where the ice should be safe.  Any suggestions?

[brittlab]

there is a good 6" of ice in the bay to the east of the north ramp. once you get out into the treeline to the south it varies from 2-4" so be careful. I was on 2" yesterday about 12' away from my buddy who was on 4"